𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎. fred weasley

𝚡𝚒𝚡. 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚘𝚍𝚊𝚢

✦✧✦

Cress wants it to be known that she was prepared for any outcome. Whether it be freak weather or running through a maze of fire while blindfolded, she was ready. She prepared herself and Cedric and she made sure that, on the day of the task, he would be ready.

Which is why, she isn't expecting him to come up to her the day before and say, "Cress, it's bloody dragons!"

Perhaps she should have seen this outcome; it is on her list, right under Digging Your Way out of a Dungeon: The Dos and Don'ts. Maybe she should have prioritized that list more adequately so that dragons would be at the top. Because it is obviously more likely for dragons to be inserted into a dangerous tournament rather than digging your way through a dungeon. How foolish of Cress to forget that.

"Of course," she says. "Why wouldn't it be fucking dragons? It's gotta be dragons because dragons breathe fire! Can't forget about that hot breath, can we?" But she's sifting through the nearest book she can get her hands on, trying to see if she can recall any information that might be useful against a fucking dragon.

"Oi," Fred says, "it could have been something way worse than dragons, Little Diggory."

Both Cedric and Cress send him a look because really? What could be worse than dragons? Absolutely nothing is worse than dragons, Fred. He gives her a sheepish smile when she just continues to give him a deadpan look and scribbles something on his parchment and Cress continues her search for anything useful during the task.

The books are scattered out all around her in piles of alphabetized stacks. She skims through them all but none of them have what she is looking for. She goes back to the D section, but there's no Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland in there. Cress tries to not have a panic attack.

"Okay" she says, glancing at Cedric, who is staring at her expectantly. "What do we know about the dragons?"

Cedric says, "Well, Harry didn't really give me much. He just told me that it was dragons."

"Bloody brilliant, Potter," Cress grumbles.

"That's my mate, Diggory," Fred says, pointing at her. "Watch it."

"Bite me, Weasley," Cress replies with a smirk.

Cedric says, "Guys."

"What?" they both say simultaneously, turning to glance at him.

"Seriously?" Cedric shakes his head. "Hams was right." He rolls his eyes when Cress gives him a confused look. "Nothing. Tell me how to survive tomorrow before I freak out and start cursing so bad that even Dumbledore will consider expelling me."

"At least you won't have to participate in the tournament then," Cress tells him pointedly.

Fred hums. "She makes a great point." Cress smiles in gratitude.